Snowball

Even before the kickoff in the National Football League championship this week, a driving storm had blanketed Philadelphia's Shibe Park. Gridiron markings were blotted out under four inches of snow. But television, radio and newsreel companies had paid $33,000 for rights to the game, and a postponement would have been costly. Commissioner Bert Bell ruled that first downs would be decided by referee's instinct instead of tape measure, and assigned extra judges to call out-of-bounds plays.

In a slippy, sloppy contest, the Philadelphia Eagles snowplowed through the Chicago Cardinals to 17 first downs. In the fourth period, Steve Van Buren sloshed off tackle for the game's only score, and the Eagles won the title, 7-0.

At Cleveland, the season's smallest crowd (22,981) braved another snowfall to watch the Buffalo Bills battle the Cleveland Browns for the All-America Football Conference championship. It wasn't much of a battle. Coach Paul Brown's Browns didn't let a little snow get in the way of their march to an undefeated season. The Buffalo Bills were understandably reluctant to get in the way of 238-lb. Negro Fullback Marion Motley, hardest running back in pro football since Bronco Nagurski. Motley didn't get warmed up until the second half. Then he scored three touchdowns. Final score: Browns, 49; Bills, 7.

Since pro football has no world series, there was no decisive way of proving which league had the champingest champ. But most fans agreed that Brown's Browns, who have been champions ever since the All-America Conference was started, were the tops in pro football.

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